Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



W. T. GULLEDGE. MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 8, 1911. 991,058.

Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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W. T. GULLEDGB. MAIL BAG GATCHBR AND DELIVBBER. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 11, 1911.

Patented May 2, 1911. 1

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NORTH CAROLINA.

MAIL-BAG GATCHER AND DELIVEBER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. GUL- LEDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monroe, in the county of Union and State of North Carolina, have inventeda new and useful Mail-Bag Catcher and Deliverer; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful combined mail delivery and receiving apparatus, adapted for use upon a mail car, and in which there is involved novel features of construction.

The invention in its broadest scope aims as its primary object, to provide a member,

which is pivoted to a partial revoluble rod,

so as to be thrown within the door opening of the car, so that the mail clerk may suspend the mail pouch thereon, and subsequently disposing the member at right angles to the car body, so that the mail pouch may be deposited on a mail crane on the side of the railroad. As this mail pouch is delivered to the mail crane arm, another mail pouch is taken from the mail crane arm, by the member projecting at right angles from the car, as the car is in motion. The receiving and delivering of the mail pouches is accomplished simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide the member, which, at times, projects at right angles from the car, with means for holding the mail pouch thereon. The mail pouch which is suspended from said member, is connected to a heart-shaped ring by means of the snap-hooks. In delivering one of the mail pouches, the heartshaped ring thereof is held upon the memher by means of a spring, and the heartshaped ring of the other pouch, when received by the member is held in place by an arm at the other end of the spring. However, there are two arms, one at each end of the spring. The heart-shaped rings compensate for the lateral wobbling or rocking of the car, that is, the rings are of suflicient size and shape to permit one to be delivered and one received, to and from the mail crane arm.

A further object of the invention is to provide means such as a notched arm secured to the car body, for holding the pivoted member at right angles to the car.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1911.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Serial No. 613,088.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket for supporting the pivoted member in a vertical position, that is, out of an operative position, as shown in Fig. 3.

A further object of the invention is to provide means, serving to disengage the pivoted member from the notched arm and the bracket, when in engagement with one or the other.

In the drawings, however, there is only disclosed one essential form of the invention, but in practical fields, this form may require alterations, to which the applicant is entitled, provided the alterations are comprehended by the appended claims.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, disclosed in the drawings and claimed:

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a mail car, illustrating the mail delivery apparatus as applied adjacent the door opening, showing the pivoted member of the mail delivery device thrown partially within the door opening, whereby the mail clerk may suspend the mail pouch thereon. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the pivoted member disposed at right angles to the car body, and in the act of delivering and receiving a mail pouch to and from a mail crane arm. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, showing the pivoted member or crane disposed and held in a vertical position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer end of the pivoted crane, showing the position of the heartshaped ring when received thereon. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one end of the outer portion of the pivoted crane, showing the recess therein for receiving one end of the spring of the pivoted crane.

Referring more especially to the drawings accompanying this application, the numeral 1 designates a portion of a mail car, which is provided with the usual door opening 2. Secured to the jamb of the door opening and the outer face of the car body are the brackets 3, in the cylindrical portions of which as shown at 4, a vertical rod 5 is arranged to have vertical sliding movements, as well as partial rotary movements.

The upper end of the vertical rod 5 is bifurcated as shown at 6, and between the arms of the bifurcation, the pivoted crane or member 7 is fulcrumed. A curved brace rod 8 terminating into eyes 9 at each end is provided. The upper eye 9 receives the pivoted crane, while the lower eye receives the rod 5. The lower eye 9, however, when the pivoted crane is in a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rests upon an integral collar 10 of the rod 5, in order to hold the pivoted crane substantially in its horizontal position. To hold the pivoted crane or member 7 at right angles to the car body an arm 11 is secured, as shown at 12, to the car body. This arm 11 is provided with a notch 13, which receives the pivoted crane, and holds the same at right angles to the car body, as shown in Fig. 2. The arm 11 not only supports the pivoted crane at right angles to the car body, but also assists in holding the same substantially in a horizontal position.

A bracket 14 having an offset angled end 15 is secured to the car body above the arm 11. The object of providing this bracket is to provide means for receiving and holding the pivoted crane in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to hold the pivoted crane out of operative position. The offset angled end 15 engages one of the two horizontal portions 16 and 1? (which extend at right angles to the shank 18) of the pivoted crane. The portion 16 at each end is bent upon itself as shown at 19, and subsequently bent into the portion 17, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4;.

Secured to the sill of the door opening is a U-shaped bracket member 20, and pivoted between the arms thereof is a pedal 21, which engages under the lower end of the rod 5. This pedal constitutes means for raising the pivoted crane from the notch of the arm 11, so as to permit the pivoted frame to be swung within the door opening, whereby a mail pouch may be suspended thereon. This pedal is also utilized for disengaging the portion 16 from the offset angled end 15 of the body 14, so as to permit the pivoted crane to drop by gravitation into a horizontal position, and at right angles to the car body, as shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the horizontal portion 17 is a spring 22, each end of which is slightly curved as shown in the drawings, special reference being had to Fig. 4. hen suspending a mail pouch upon the pivoted crane, a heart-shaped ring is utilized. This heartshaped ring 23 is provided with a centralcurved portion 241, which is arranged under one or the other of the curved parts 25 of the sprmg, as shown in Fig. 2.

Adapted to be arranged ad acent the ra1l road. is a post 26, and extendlng therefrom is an arm 27, which terminates into the mail crane arm 28. .This mail crane arm 28 comprises two horizontal portions 29, which are the object of this invention to receive a mail pouch from the stationary mail crane arm. This is accomplished by disposing another heart-shaped ring, constructed similar to the ring 23 and designated by the same character, upon one end or the other as shown at 31 of the mail crane arm 28, so as to permit the end 32 of the horizontal portion 17 of the pivoted crane to enter the heart-shaped ring. As the end 32 is entering one of the heart-shaped rings, the end 33 of the stationary mail crane arm is passing through the other ring. It will'be thus observed by the showing in Fig. 2 one mail pouch is being delivered and one received to and from the stationary mail crane arm. The ring which is being received 011 the end 32 of the pivoted crane passes over a curved projection 34 of the spring 22, so as to hold the ring thereon. There are two curved projections 3 1 one at each end of the spring. These curved projections may be yieldable, but in the present application, they are shown as being substantially rigid, so as to obviate the possibility of them being accidentally bent backward sufficiently to allow the ring to accidentally slip off.

The lower ends of the heart'shaped rings terminate into snap-hooks 35, thereby providing means for engaging the rings 36 of the mail pouches.

lVhen a mail pouch is delivered, one of the loops 37 engages the end 33 of the stationary mail crane arm, and when the other mail pouch is received on the pivoted crane, one of the loops, similar to the loops 37, of the other ring, engages behind the curved projection of the spring 22, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, it will be observed that there has been provided a novel, practicable, efficient and inexpensive mail delivery and receiving apparatus, adapted for use and connection with mail cars, and one which will answer all the requirements in this particular line of industry.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful, is:

1. In combination, a vertical, partially slidable and rotatable rod, a mail crane pivoted thereto, connections between the mail crane and the rod, for supporting the mail crane substantially horizontal, and an arm secured to a car body and provided with a notch to receive the pivoted frame adapted to hold the pivoted frame substantially at right angles to the car body.

2. In combination, a vertical, partially slidable and rotatable rod, a mail crane pivoted thereto, connections between the mail crane and the rod, for supporting the mail crane substantially horizontal, an arm se cured to a car body and provided with a notch to receive the pivoted frame adapted to hold the pivoted frame substantially at right angles to the car body, the mail crane terminating into a substantially horizontal portion, and a spring having at each end a curved projection secured to the substantially horizontal portion, and between which and the horizontal portions a ring is adapted to be arranged, the curved projections constituting means to prevent displacement of a ring when received by the horizontal portion at the end opposite the end holding another ring.

3. In combination, a vertical, partially slidable and rotatable rod, a mail crane pivoted thereto, connections between the mail crane and the rod, for supporting the mail crane substantially horizontal, an arm secured to a car body and provided with a notch to receive the pivoted frame adapted to hold the pivoted frame substantially at right angles to the car body, and a bracket plate engageable with the pivoted crane for holding the crane out of operative position.

4. In combination, a vertical, partially slidable and rotatable rod, a mail crane pivoted thereto, connections between the mail crane and the rod, for supporting the mail crane substantially horizontal, an arm secured to a car body and provided with a notch to re ceive the pivoted frame adapted to hold the pivoted frame substantially at right angles to the car body, a bracket plate engageable with the pivoted frame for holding the crane out of operative position, and means engageable under the slidable rod for disengaging the pivoted crane from the notch of said arm or from the bracket plate.

5. In combination, a slidable rodarranged in a door opening of a car body, bearings therefor, a mail crane pivoted thereto, and a curved brace member arranged angularly between the crane and the slidable rod.

6. In combination, a slidable rod arranged in a door opening of a car body, bearings therefor, a mail crane pivoted thereto, and a curved brace member terminating into eyes, one at each end to engage the crane and the rod, the rod having means thereon to be engaged by the brace member to limit its downward movement.

7. In combination, a slidable rod arranged in a door opening .of a car body, bearings therefor, a mail crane pivoted thereto, a curved brace member arranged angularly between the crane and the slidable rod, and means engageable under the rod for raising the rod.

8. In combination, a mail crane arm having a spring secured thereto curved at each end said spring terminating into curved projections, in combination with a ring adapted to pass between the spring and the mail crane arm, said curved projections constituting means to prevent displacement of a ring when passed over the spring and its projections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. GULLEDGE.

IVitnesses:

D. SWIFT, ROBERT A. BOSWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

